We need to understand why these people were staying up to this point and why they are now leaving.
Most are in safe districts where they would have been easily re-elected, so fear of defeat wasn’t the issue.
This issue is fear of being powerless. When they are in the minority, they can’t impose their superior elite will on the rest of the country, so it’s no fun anymore, and they’ve probably landed some cushy no-work income in the process.
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Dems seem to have gotten the heebie jeebies. Is this why? (cackle). As far back as 2008, at the presidential debate in Nashville, Democrat candidate Obama advanced his signature plan that was ultimately enacted (by an historic straight Democrat party-line vote) into the "Affordable Care Act :
OBAMA: "No. 1, let me just repeat, if you’ve got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All I’m going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. You’ll still have choice of doctor.”
Repeated over and over ---- with the promise that every American family would be saving $2500.00 on healthcare costs.
LOCK-STEPPING PARTY LOYALTY NOT SEEN SINCE 1930-40's ERA EUROPE Obama And The Dumbos marched in lockstep. The persistent Dumbocrat drumbeat ---- in obeisance to Obama ---- kept ringing reassuringly in our ears: "If you like your plan, you can keep your plan."
“This issue is fear of being powerless. When they are in the minority, they can’t impose their superior elite will on the rest of the country, so it’s no fun anymore...”
We are so correct about that. Back in 2010, elections the Republicans gained control of the Minnesota state senate - for the first time since the early 70’s.
A number of long-serving Democrats (who lived in safe districts) resigned in the middle of their terms and took jobs in the private sector (non-profits, etc).
They were so flummoxed and depressed that they couldn’t lord over the Republicans that they bailed out.
Absolutely, it was a total loss of power thing.